Aokaga AUs
by Blazing Ace
Summary: Futureverse, alternate age, supernatural, historical, omegaverse, angel/demon, movie AUs. Because these two have the type of relationship which can span through a billion lifetimes! Disclaimer: The 'Kuroko no Basuke' manga and anime series is owned by Tadatoshi Fujimaki Caution: Contains spoilers from loads of universes! Warning: BoyxBoy love!


**SUMMARY:**

**Aokaga AUs: Futureverse, alternate age, supernatural, historical, omegaverse, angel/demon, movie AUs. Because these two have the type of relationship which can span through a billion lifetimes! **

**Disclaimer:**** The 'Kuroko no Basuke' manga and anime series is owned by Tadatoshi Fujimaki and the awesome publishers and producers who made the series possible. (Caution: Contains spoilers from loads of universes!)**

**Warnings****: Sex and violence (Basically mature themes, so let's not be childish!). + Fluff and sweetness which can give you diabetes. + LOTS of kisses!**

**Other works, books, films which are referred to belong to their respective owners. **

* * *

_**...**_

_**Alternate Age:**_

_**...**_

Aomine was shooting hoops at his usual street court when he first saw him... The man with the wild red hair.

The man hadn't been alone. He was with another extremely handsome-looking man with a beauty spot on his cheekbone and bangs covering one of his eyes. There was also a pretty blond woman, most likely a foreigner, who pulled them to a stop beside the court where Aomine was playing.

Aomine thought that she looked somewhat familiar... Had he seen her somewhere before?

"Well, would you look at that?" The blonde woman said, a slight accent to her Japanese. "Huh... Kinda reminds me of you Taiga."

The red-head stopped and flipped around, and Aomine felt the basketball nearly slip out of his fingers when their eyes met. The man's eyes were the most vibrant red he'd ever seen.

"What do you mean, Al?" This Taiga asked the blond woman curiously.

The black-haired man next to him snorted. "Alex is referring to the raw talent emanating from that boy. You had that aura yourself when you were a teen, Taiga."

The man's- _Taiga's- _eyes became wider and he looked up at Aomine again, who tried to pretend that the man's words hadn't reache him. He acted like they didn't even exist as he aimed aimed a formless shot at the hoop. It went in smoothly.

He kept shooting hoops for a while longer, dribbled for a while. His ball control was getting better-

"Hey kid!" Aomine whisked around suddenly, alarmed. The man was fast! When had he entered the courts so noiselessly?

Still, no matter who this guy was, _nobody_ spoke to Aomine like that.

"Who're you calling kid, old man?" Aomine scowled.

Taiga frowned. "I'm not old." he said, scratching his cheek defensively. "I'm only twenty three."

"That's old enough in my book." Aomine replied shrugging, but the man didn't leave even though Aomine saw the blonde woman and the ebony-haired man walking away.

Taiga simply glared at him for a moment, before shaking his head. "I knew it, you're a little punk. Anyways, I was wondering if you wanted to play a little one-on-one?"

Aomine raised an eyebrow. "You sure? Man, you're gonna lose so bad."

Aomine inwardly froze when he found himself being considerate about this unknown stranger's pride. Why was his doing that? Usually he didn't care before beating someone into the dust... Then why, with this guy-

The orange ball was suddenly in the other man's hand and Aomine blinked. "You're going to need faster reflexes if you ever want to win kid!"

Aomine stared at Taiga, his mouth opened in an astonished 'O' before he growled. "Stop calling me _kid,_ old man!"

The red-head actually had the audacity to laugh and then ran off dribbling the ball like it was the only thing he'd ever done in his life. Aomine rushed after him.

Taiga weaved and ducked and did so many things that Aomine could barely keep track of the orange and red blur. He told himself that it was Kagami's technique, not his eyes, which were distracting him from the game. Taiga on the other hand, seemed to be taunting him with his basketball. He obviously knew what he was doing.

After a while, Aomine finally let out a snarl and grasped the ball back before sprinting to his side of the courts with an exhilarated chuckle. Taiga followed with a groan.

It was a few hours later that Aomine found himself sitting beside a sprawled out Taiga, both their chests heaving from exhaustion.

"You're really-... good for a... b-brat." Taiga wheezed, gasping at random intervals to catch his breath. "And here I thought Japanese kids didn't know how to play ball."

"Aren't you shallow." Aomine deadpanned. He didn't even bother to tell Kagami that he was he best guy around. Nobody his age could come close to his prowess. The only one who could beat him in a middle-school game was himself. And he kept getting better.

But Aomine kept his mouth shut and didn't show off for once. Instead, he let his eyes roam over the beads of sweat sliding down the curve of a pale throat, before looking determinedly away.

Fuck... He tried closing his eyes to rid himself of the image of the flushed man, but it didn't work. It actually had the opposite effect because now, Aomine's stupid brain was remembering the sliver of skin which had made itself visible when Taiga's shirt had ridden up just a few moments ago. And about how his body felt pressed close against Kagami's back as they grappled for the rebound...

Shit... what was happening to him?

Mai-chan. He was attracted to big boobs, Mai-chan's hair... and cherry-red eyes-

"Yeah well, I didn't know! Aren't you glad to have proved me wrong?" Taiga's stomach growled and he patted it softly, like he was taming a beast. Aomine nearly laughed aloud again.

"You're so weird." Aomine commented, shaking his head. "Aren't you from Japan?"

"I've pretty much lived in California my whole life." Taiga said shrugging.

"I knew it! You were with that foreign chick a while ago and you have a weird-ass accent." Aomine said casually, dribbling his ball between his stretched leggs at an incredible speed. "She your girlfriend?"

Taiga snorted. "Who, Alex? Pfft- she's just a friend. Or a sister really... I might even go as far as saying nagging mother, but then she'd kill me." Aomine looked back at him again. There was an obviously fond and nostalgic smile on his face as he spoke about the woman.

"What?" Aomine couldn't help but be curious. Here he was, this red-head who was incredible at basketball and didn't seemed bored of the sport yet as Aomine soon felt like he was becoming after every easy victory. "Why do you look like that?"

"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking that Alex was the one who taught me basketball. And now, its changed my life so much. I just got a really good opportunity back in the States... and I think I'm gonna take it. Actually, I just came to visit Japan one last time before I permanently settle in the States-"

Aomine felt a rock sink to the pit of his stomach, and the basketball he was playing with dropped from his hand with a muffeld thud. "You're... not staying?"

Taiga looked up at him, curiously. "I think so... Hey, you look kinda down all of a sudden."

"Of course I do!" Aomine yelled, getting to his feet. Kagami sat up and then rose as well. Aomine noticed that they were almost the same height. "Here I thought that I finally had a worthy opponent I could go all out against but now you're telling me that this was just a one time thing-"

"Hey, hey, slow down!" Taiga said, placatingly raising his hands out in front of him. "Don't just go thinking stuff like that. You never know what's coming in life- You're what, 15? 16 years old? Jeez, you have a whole life ahead of you! You'll find another rival."

_But I want to play against you, _Aomine found himself thinking. Somehow, in those last few hours, he had fallen in love with Taiga's basketball.

"But you're never coming back to Japan." He said accusingly, instead of voicing his stupid thoughts.

Taiga rubbed his neck in a nervous gesture. "I might... but they'll be rare visits. I don't really know anyone here and- But hey, _you're_ really good at the sport! I'm not even kidding. Who knows, someday you might even go to the States as a pro B-ball player, and we can meet and play again!"

Aomine scoffed at the preposterous idea, but Taiga looked so enthused at the prospect that he couldn't even bring himself to refute the words with a clever argument.

"Fuck it... its not like I care anyway." Aomine found himself saying and he stooped down to pick up the ball. "At least its good to know that there are still people like you left in this world whom I can challenge. I was thinking about quitting basketball to tell the truth. Maybe I'll start doing one-on-fives to even the odds out."

Aomine started to dribble his ball again, moving away from Taiga. He wasn't a goodbye sort of person as it was, and this seemed pretty much like a farewell.

"You..."

The tone of the voice made him stop and Aomine turned around to look at Taiga again. The man was looking at him incredulously.

"You're always trying to sound so tough and aloof... But I just realized- you really love basketball don't you?"

Aomine's eyes widened in surprise, and he felt his stomach do a small flip. Not many people knew how much of his life Aomine had devoted to the sport. Not even his own parents. Here stood a man, who had known him for a few hours, and recognized the passion for basketball in him.

Then again, Kagami seemed as basketball-crazed as he was. Maybe he's sold his soul to the hoop too.

"Whatever you say, old man." Aomine forced himself to say in a tone calmer than the torrid emotions he was currently feeling, before he turned back around and left Taiga standing alone in the darkened courts.

.

It was a month later, while watching television, that Aomine finally remembered where he had seen the blond woman before. He was actually currently staring at her face on the TV screen as some famous person awarded Alexandra Garcia with the WNBA MVP award.

The program then switched to Garcia's "boys", whom she had apparently mentored into promising NBA rookies. An interviewer was shown interviewing the black-haired man Aomine had seen with Taiga at the courts. They were at a match from the look of things, and the black-haired man was mostly looking away from the camera than at it.

"_Tatsuya!_" the interviewer asked in English. "_You're career as an NBA player is obviously going swimmingly. Any thoughts on Kagami the Tiger's performance tonight?_"

Tatsuya glanced at the camera and grinned. "_Taiga's really good. Anyone can see that. He's younger than me, but I've already accepted that he's a better player. And if you saw the way he faced off against some of the players today, you'll have to agree. We're Cali's top team now thanks to our new rookie._"

"_Thanks Tatsuya. Indeed, Taiga seems to be following in the steps of Blake Griffin himself! So we can see that Alex's boys have indeed- whoa! Taiga! What a jam, and that hangtime! Worthy of a Jordan!"_ The camera panned just in time to the courts to see Kagami force in a powerful dunk against a guy almost twice his size. The buzzer went off, sounding the end of the match and Tatsuya whooped and ran to the court to jump on Taiga, as well as the rest of their team. Taiga grinned stupidly and waved a V at the camera.

"_That was certainly a blast!_" the interviewer continued over the deafening clamor of the crowds who were apparently losing their minds. "_It seems that Taiga Kagami is going to be one hell of a surprise this season folks!_"

A finger fell to mute the volume, but eyes followed every move the redhead was making. So he _had_ been holding back. What Aomine had seen on the courts had only been a tiny part of what Kagami was really capable of. He was really, _really_ good.

Aomine, who'd been watching enraptured, suddenly felt his lips turn up into a smile. "Kagami Taiga." He whispered, in a deathly soft voice.

It didn't matter. Aomine hadn't shown his full potential either. He had been unconsciously holding back, not going all out like he usually did with the Japanese street punks he usually played with.

Suddenly Aomine saw his future clearly paved out in front of him. He saw himself at the NBA courts, the jersey of an opposing team on his back and Kagami's eyes blazing in front of him. He didn't how, but he knew- that was the only possible future for him now.

"We _will_ meet again." Aomine said, his fist rose to nudge the screen on which a red-head was being assaulted by his teammates and crazed fans. "That's a promise."

.

_**...**_

_**Meiji Era/ Edo Era**_

_**...**_

The fight was raging to a calm but Kagami knew that he couldn't let his guard down ever for a second. Around him, heaps of dead bodies piled the ground. Kagami saw several faces he recognized and looked away, guilt clawing a this chest.

There were too many dead, and all for what? What was the difference between those bodies except for the clothes they were wearing... the blood running down their wounds were all of the same color- a frightning, vivid red.

There was a rustle behind Kagami and turned around swifly, his sword aloft. There was nobody behind him.

The sound had come from a boy no older than Kagami himself who was leaning againt a tree nearby. His leg was obviously shattered and his lips were bloody.

He was also wearing enemy colors.

Kagami gripped his blade hard and approached the boy, who raised his bloody head and winced at the sight of the sharp object near his face.

"I'm... sorry." the boy rasped in a quiet voice.

Kagami froze. Maybe the boy was babbling from exhaustion or the pain from his wounds.

"Sorry." the boy said again more clearly, making Kagami jolt. "Do it, please."

Kagami was unnerved. His hands were sweating now and the blade which had been precisely posed earlier was now becoming lax in his grip.

The boy must have seen his hesitation because he chuckled softly. "Oh dear, you're a new fighter, aren't you? Not used to this violence? Its alright. Take your time. I'd rather die from a clean slice than any number of p-painful hacks." He said, almost understandingly. "Hey, you're from Seirin aren't you? You're wearing Seirin colors."

"Y-Yes." Kagami heard himself replying.

How could this small boy be so fearless in the face of certain death?

"Sorry." the boy apologized again, as if in reply to Kagami's dilemma. "But can you pass on a message to someone for me? I don't know if he's alive but... Its for Hyuga Junpei."

Kagami froze as the boy began to cough up blood into his fist. Was this a trick? Hyuga was Kagami's General, the first in command of Seirin. He cautiously looked among the trees around them to search for signs of an ambush, but the boy's next words diverted his attention away completeky.

"Tell him- tell Hyuga- that he was right. You can't win a war if you keep on holding grudges and petty resentment. I just wasn't mature enough to fight this battle. Sorry." Kagami wondered again what he was apologizing for and whom to. But that was beside the point... Right now, Kagami was just very curious as to how this middle-rank Tōō soldier could reiterate one of the motivational words their General had ingrained to them by shouting it more than a billion times.

Kagami made a split-second decision at that moment. He dropped his sword and fell to his knees beside the boy. "What's your name?" He asked carefully, and the boy looked up surprised.

There was a rustle of moving branches and dry leaves and Kagami suddenly found his head being forced against the harsh tree bark.

"Oi. Get the fuck away from him." Came a voice very close by and suddenly, Kagami felt a sharp object threatening to embed itself into his back.

"Aomine-kun! No wait! He wasn't going to attack me!" the boy in front of Kagami was gasping with wild gestures. "I'm so sorry! But please don't hurt him!"

"Sakurai..." Said the deep, masculine voice from behind Kagami. "He's an enemy. He's wearing Seirin colors."

"And I'm wearing Tōō colors, but he chose not to kill me!" The boy called Sakurai argued. "Sorry, but you really ought to spare his life."

"...Are you hurt?" The voice asked, presumably to Sakurai.

"No." A pause. Kagami could only imagine the expression on the unseen man's face because Sakurai backtracked immediately. "Sorry! I meant yes. But its only my left leg and a couple of broken ribs. I'm not that gravely hurt."

The sword on Kagami's back tipped forward just enough to break skin before it retreated. A hand harshly grabbed the back of his clothes and Kagami was dragged up on his feet again.

But this time Kagami was ready.

He pulled out a blade from a hidden pocket on his thigh and this time, his attacker was suddenly shoved against the tree Sakurai was leaning against with Kagami's blade at his throat. Kagami heard Sakurai's coughed protests but ignored him.

The man he kept fixed in place was tall. Taller than Kagami. He had dark skin and strangely blue eyes...

Although, they were nothing compared to the odd color of the red orbs Kagami sported.

Kagami's eyes were fierce as they stared up at the man, who only looked down at him amusedly.

"Well," He said, his warm breath ghosting over Kagami's nose. "Finally, a Seirin who can fight back."

Kagami growled low in his throat and dug the blade in deeper. "I swear, you monster, if you hurt any of my friends-"

"Relax kitten." There was a blur of black cloth and the next moment, Kagami was the one against the tree with the man's thigh between his legs and his own blade against his collarbone. The man's hand was pressed between his back and the tree. If Kagami was stupid, he would have thought that this man was protecting the nick he'd made on Kagami's lower back from the tree's rough bark... but this guy didn't actually seem that he was capable of such consideration. "Seirin is not our problem. I only saw your faction fighting Kirisaki-daichi not too far away. They were losing."

"Aomine-kun! Don't hur-"

"I heard you the first time Sakurai."

"Sor-"

"Shut _up_, Sakurai."

Kagami bit his lip against the fixed stare he was receiving. This Aomine guy didn't seem the least bit worried about the hacking coughs his brother-in-arms was suffering through. Instead, his hands were patting up and down Kagami's body... presumably checking for weapons. There was a wolfish smirk on his face.

"You're not from around here." Aomine stated in a low voice. "Our territory overlaps with Seirin's often, yet we haven't crossed paths. I would have remembered a warrior like you. Tetsu wouldn't have been able to resist showing you off."

Kagami turned away from the inquisitive gaze and looked at the woods over Aomine's shoulder. "I'm... not exactly from here." How did Aomine know Kuroko?

"Oh?" Aomine said sarcastically. "I would never have guessed."

Kagami scowled.

"I meant that I'm not from Japan. My parents went to America looking for a better life, but the Americans are in the middle of their own civil war." Kagami's eyes furrowed. "Everyone thought it would be safer to send the children back to Japan. They were so wrong. Anyway, our convoy was attacked by another faction, me and my friend were separated."

Kagami grimaced when his eyes pricked as he remembered Tatsuya's screams and turned his head away from the man pressed against him. It wasn't smart to show mental weakness in front of an enemy.

"I'm sorry-" Sakurai began in a hushed voice but Aomine tsked.

"Shut up, , go on." Aomine said, his grip tightening on Kagami's wrists.

"There's nothing else to say." Kagami snapped. "Seirin saved me and took me in and I've been fighting for them ever since."

"Do you know who your friend was attacked by?" Sakurai asked. He actually sounding concerned about the safety of someone he'd never seen before, despite his current condition.

Kagami frowned thoughtfully, not even bothering to struggle against Aomine's hard grip. "They were wearing purple-"

"Yosen." Aomine and Sakurai said in unison.

Aomine chuckled darkly and let Kagami's hands drop, along with his blade. "Your friend is probably alright if he was kidnapped by Yosen. Their leader is more of a... gentle giant compared to the rest of the monsters around here."

"My family sent me away from a battle." Kagami said, his gut twisting. "But here I am, in the middle of another one."

"Get used to it." Aomine said ruthlessly. With another piercing look at Kagami, he retreated, finally crouching down to assess Sakurai's damage.

"I won't be able to carry you alone." Aomine said after a quick perusal of the smaller boy's state.

"Sorry." Sakurai said immediately, blood now dripping down his chin. "You don't have to take me back if I'm a hindrance, I'll just... I'll-"

"Shut _up_."

"I can help you carry him." Kagami felt his tongue moving without his violition and internally cursed.

Aomine's eyes flashed back to him, his eyes dangerous.

"What?" Kagami asked defensively. He did have a respectable moral conscience, and Sakurai looked so pitiful and pathetic- and he obviously knew Hyuga-san! Kagami couldn't just leave him in the woods to die!

"You're... not what I expected for someone who belong's to Tetsu's faction." Aomine said, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Its Hyuga-san's faction, not Kuroko's. And this isn't my war." Kagami replied adamantly. "I owe my allegiance to Seirin, but that doesn't mean I can't preserve my own humanity."

Aomine got to his feet again and allowed Kagami to to walk over to Sakurai's other side. There was a moment of pause before Aomine's hand reached out and dragged the front of Kagami's clothes and wrenched him forward, almost too close to Aomine's face.

"That's all very nice, _returnee_." Aomine murmured, eyes blazing in silent challenge. "But what will you do when the time comes to chose between them... and us?

Kagami blinked. The answer to that he didn't know himself, but he made himself stare back into Aomine's steely blue eyes. "I'll think about that when the time comes."

.

**_..._**

**_Prostitution AU_**

**_..._**

Kagami closed his eyes at the sight of his reflection on the mirror. There was a new gash on his cheek and a bluish bruise forming on his neck. His ass was killing him.

He really didn't think that he could take much more of this.

But damn, he needed the money. His best friend... his only friend, was in a coma. They needed to do that surgery, or Kuroko would just become a forgotten memory.

_This is nothing_, he kept telling himself. _A small price for my best friend's well-being. For his life._

The door to his rooms suddenly opened and a man walked in looking almost bored. He was tanned and his midnight hair looked almost blue in the glare of the lights. The man paused when he spotted Kagami.

"Err... yo." He began, and Kagami was surprised to see a small blush forming on the man's cheeks. It was probably because of the very minimal clothing Kagami currently had on. "I was just- I was looking for a friend who works here... Have you seen Kise Ryota around?"

If only Kagami had been as lucky as Kise... "Kise doesn't work down here in this part of the building. He's a flair bartender, so he works on level three." Kagami said as helpfully as he could, with the gracious smile he usually saved for the rare nice customers he had, once in a blue moon.

The man's flush darkened, but the frown on his lips remained. "And what's your job?"

The smile was swept off Kagami's face and he looked down feeling humiliated. "What do you think it is... sir?" He asked, gesturing at the marks covering his body which was almost on full display thanks to the clothes they had given him.

There was silence. Kagami thought for a moment that the man had left, but then suddenly there were sounds of quick footsteps towards him and a hand grabbed his face and made him look up into startling dark blue. The next second, his lips were being parted by a forceful tongue and being plundered my the stranger's ravaging kiss.

Kagami froze, he even stopped breathing.

Is his whole time at this abhorred establishment, he'd never once been kissed. Nobody, not a single client, had touched Kagami's lips. But here he was, Kise's friend of all people and a stranger to boot, licking his mouth and rubbing wet, warm lips against his in the most arousing way-

The heat was abruptly gone and Kagami looked up to see blown-out, lustfull pupils looking down at him. "How much for a night?"

.

_**...**_

_**Attack on Titan AU**_

_**...**_

Blades ripped wind when Aomine fought, and Kagami always found himself staring at the beauty, the fluidity of the movements. Like a billion times before, he wondered once again what Aomine would have done in life if humanity hadn't been plagued by giant, disgusting, humanoid-looking beasts.

_What a shame,_ Kagami thought. _What a waste of life._

Aomine deserved to live a full life, not just a half-hearted imitation of one.

"Look out." A hand wrapped around his waist. There was a familiar tug and Aomine's 3D maneuver gear sent them sailing into the air, a Titan's fist closing where Kagami had been standing only seconds prior.

Kagami's hands automatically wound themselves around Aomine's neck, and he shuddered. "Crap..."

Aomine's grunt rumbled through his chest. "You're becoming more careless these days... Bakagami."

"Shut up." Kagami replied. "We both know that I'm going to die eventually anyway, whats the point in saving me? Go save Kuroko or someone else. Someone actually worth it."

"Kuroko doesn't need saving." Aomine said, rolling his eyes. "None of the Titans even manage to spot him before he's too close. You on the other hand, attract their attention a bit too much. You're like a freaking beacon, their personal light."

"Hey, maybe they think I'm attractive. I don't know." Kagami said, getting irritated. It wasn't his fault that every kind of Titan flocked to him like he was another source of their sustainment... like sunlight, or like he was Eren freaking Jager in his Titan form. Well, he was something of the sort. But that wasn't really the point...

Nobody was supposed to know about that point.

Aomine landed them a safe distance away from the lumbering Titans at a small clearing.

"Stay here." Aomine told him seriously. "I have to go see what happened to Satsuki's squad."

"You're going to just leave me here?" Kagami asked bemused. Apparently Aomine felt the opposite because he suddenly grabbed Kagami by the shoulders.

"This is serious, damn it. You never take anything seriously, its a wonder that you're alive really." Aomine told him angrily. "How do you think I- your friends would feel if something happened to you?"

"I should be so lucky."

"Kagami!" Aomine's voice was low and dangerous and his hands tightened like vices on his shoulders. "Don't even fucking joke about that."

Kagami's eyes widened at the tone and he nodded automatically.

There was a strange roar from far away and Aomine swore, dropping his hands.

Kagami froze, he knew that noise. It was a summon, a request... His body urged to shift and change... grow-

"I have to go." Aomine said, letting his 3D gear hook onto a tall tree near them. "Don't move from here alright?"

Kagami rolled his eyes nonchalantly and smiled with a quick wave when Aomine's eyes narrowed at his carelessness.

"You bastard." Aomine said, his eyes staring painfully hard at Kagami. He was about to release his latch to shoot away, but suddenly he stopped and turned back. "Kagami, you know I-"

Kagami frowned at the pause. "...What?" Kagami asked, confusedly.

"Nevermind." Aomine muttered with a sigh and pulled out his blades. "I'll be back soon. Just don't do anything stupid until then."

And then he was gone, zooming through the trees with perfect ease.

The moment he was out of eyeshot, Kagami bit his lip. The sound they had just heard hadn't been the usual roar of a Titan, it had been the sound a shifter made when he or she was in trouble.

Kagami for one, recognized this particular shifter. It had been Midorima. He couldn't just stay put after hearing the distress signal. Despite the orders which had been issued to him by Aomine.

This teeth finally broke through the skin of his lower lip and a tiny bead of blood appeared, which was more than enough. Kagami felt his limbs elongating and muscles building up around him, his vision rose to newer heights.

Kagami stretched his new body and sniffed the air to pinpoint Midorima with his Titan nose. Very few people knew the exact identity of the 20 shifters currently on humanity's side... and Kagami was eager to keep it that way.

Anothe roar sounded, this one more frantic and desperate than the last. _Crap._ He was sure that someone as prideful as Midorima would have to be in a very difficult situation to be calling for his help.

Kagami smelled Takao's scents joining in from the south as he too responded to Midorima's plea.

Focusing his mind to not kill small, puny humans... Kagami thundered off into the forest- mind intent on saving his friends.

.

_**...**_

_**Hunger Games AU**_

_**...**_

Aomine fell in lust the moment he saw the boy from District 5.

That year, they were supposed to be doing a more complicated Hunger Games, the President had decreed the allowance of four competetors from each district, two male two female. The 150th Hunger Games were supposed to be a bloody massacre after all, to celebrate the the fall of the rebellion all those years ago.

The more deaths the merrier.

Aomine hadn't even bothered to look at the reapings from the other districts. All he knew was that the only one who could ever beat him in combat was himself...

That is of course, until his partner had gasped in awe at the night of the Chariot Rides at something he had presumably seen.

Aomine was picking at his diamond studded shirt and the lopsided crown on his head, but he looked up at the blonde boy's exclamation.

"You've spotted them too, haven't you Kise?" Momoi asked from beside them. She was the strategic mastermind of their team, the brainhouse of District 1.

Decked in expensive plumes and with a shiny jewel on the corner of either eye, Kise was the pretty-boy of their team. His pout looked utterly envious and childish as he nodded petulantly at Momoi's words.

Aomine followed his line of vision and his eyes found two girl standing beside the District 5 designers. One of them had short brown hair and the other was blonde, the latter was well-endowed with gigantic boobs. They both had very revealing clothes on, which were flashed words like "WINNER" and "VICTOR" at random intervals on their chests.

"What's so special about them?" Aomine asked in a bored voice. Hell, the brunette didn't even have a rack.

Momoi look up from under her pearl headdress and rolled her eyes. "Dai-chan, honestly, are you blind?"

"What the fuck do you-" But Aomine's words died on his lips. There, standing beside the girls were two boys about the same age as Aomine himself. One of them had baby blue Capitol-style hair and was decked out in an ash outfit. Whenever the boy moved closer to his partner, who was wearing a similar costume, his clothes would gradually grow darker until they were pitch black in color and his partner's clothes shone with brilliant light.

Aomine realized that the girls' outfits too were emitting sparks whenever they moved closer to each other.

"Ingenious." Momoi muttered. "District 5 obviously has an intelligent stylist this year. They're showing off what an important powerhouse their District is, whilst simultaneously showing solidarity and support for each other."

Aomine wasn't even listening to her words, his eyes were locked on the shining boy with the weird eyebrows and startling red hair.

"Kagami-kun," Aomine heard the blue-haired boy mutter to the object of his observation. "You have an audience."

Kagami looked over to where his partner was gesturing and saw Aomine's eyes locked on him.

Normally, ordinary district reaps would have been pertrified having a career sizing them there was no fear in those ruby eyes, and Aomine felt a sort of anticipatory heat burn through him.

Kise whistled low. "Damn..." He said, his amber eyes looking over the red-head too. "He might end up being troublesome. Momoi-cchi?"

"I'll get right on it." Momoi replied. It was her speciality, getting to know everything there was about the other competetors. Weaknesses, strengths... Everything. "Kise-kun might be able to hel- Dai-chan! Where are you going?"

But Aomine was already half way across the ground separating them. He roughly pushed away another career from District 2 or something and sauntered up almost lazily to where 'Kagami' was standing, his scarlet eyes wide and confused.

"Yo. I'll have to say, Light Boy, that's a nice outfit for an outer lying District." Aomine sneered, waiting for the boy to take the bait. And he was about to, it was so obvious from the way his cheeks puffed up and became red with anger-

But then the baby blue-haired boy touched his arm, the rising hackles lowered again, much to Aomine's disappointment. He scowled briefly at the smaller boy... Maybe he had underestimated him due to his lack of presence. He felt a jolt of annoyance pass through him when he suddenly noticed the picture perfect contrast they were creating with their costume and appearances.

He didn't paticularly like the annoyance he was feeling.

Actually, he was annoyed at the annoyance Kagami was making him feel.

"You too." The boy called Kagami grated out what was obviously a previously rehearsed line. "Your costume looks simply superb."

It didn't help that Aomine found it cute the way he was saying the words with his eyes looking somewhere over Aomine's shoulder and his voice in a grudging monotone.

"I hope you're as good as you sound." Aomine sneered. "I'll be nice to have some entertainment around here for a change."

And just like that, the redhead was blazing like flames. This time, even blue-boy couldn't stop him from grabbing onto Aomine's shirt lapels and bringing their faces close together in fury. "You idiot." Kagami fumed, anger visibly making his fists shake. "Entertainment? What exactly do you think that you are to these people at the Capitol? A hero?"

Aomine didn't say anything, but the arrogant smile slipped off his face.

"To these people you're worthless! You might be a career now and perfectly used to winning, but you'll meet your match... and I pity you for when that times comes." Kagami said, his voice breaking at the last words. "You'll die not knowing the worth of life itself."

"You asshole." Aomine snarled back, throwing Kagami's hand off him and wrenching the other boy's costume towards him instead. "Was that a threat?"

"Of course not. It was the opposite, you idiot." Kagami replied, looking calm despite his ever-present anger shaking his body. "I'd never wish the Hunger Games on anyone, even my worst enemy. Look at all these tributes around you and tell me that you won't regret killing them. If not right now then maybe at some point in life, when you're old and filled with loneliness."

Aomine had no reply to that, and he told himself that it was because he never even bothered to plan that far ahead. But to tell the truth, it was the earnest expressiveness in Kagami's eyes which rendered him speechless. And what managed to unhinge him was the small, very brief smile which tilted Kagami's lips before he sighed.

"I hope you undertand what I'm trying to say." Kagami said, and fist-bumped Aomine shoulder once before moving past him. "If I die, and you're the one who kills me, I hope you'll remember this conversation. It'll be nicer to die knowing that someone will still be thinking of me after I'm gone."

Aomine didn't think he quite understood what the boy was spouting on about. All his mind had concentrated on was the feeling of warm fingers on his bare shoulder. He wanted to feel those fingers again. He wanted to see his own hands wrapped around the boy's neck, pushed against the ground.

All Aomine knew was that after (who knew how long it had been) a very long time... he was smiling again.

.

_**...**_

_**Medieval Royalty AU**_

_**...**_

Kagami couldn't take his eyes off the grand palace which all the delegations had chosen to hold their conference in.

To tell the truth he had never imagined that such a faraway land would contain such vast, rich kingdoms like his own had been.

It was really all thanks to luck that the Kingdom of Seirin had accepted his plea for refuge in this strange land. Their king was a young boy, His Highness Kuroko, and he had accept Kagami's kiss of pledge on his ring and welcomed him to the kingdom to be his personal guard.

Said young king was currently conversing with a dangerous-looking redhead- the man who had called for this conference of Kings. This King was especially powerful, and had an air around him which Kagami had automatically associated with Queen Alexandra. Normally the sight of such a worrior would intrigue him, but now all he wanted to do was remain out of sight and out of mind. Inconspicuous. He decided to steer clear of everyone's path.

"Oh, Kagami!" It was Kiyoshi, King Kuroko's other bodyguard, who called out to him as he tried to escape outdoor.

What? Sure he was a bodyguard, but he really doubted Kuroko needed the protection. The boy king was so invisible that his courtiers often entirely missed his presence at meetings. To tell the truth, most of the time, Kagami himself didn't know where his king disappeared to.

"What are we supposed to do Kiyoshi?" Kagami asked him.

"I have to help you learn faces. That's King Kise." Kiyoshi grinned jovially and pointed out a regal blond man to him. "And the man getting off the carriage is King Midorima."

"You people here have too many Kingdoms. Did you people ever wonder if maybe that's where your problems are stemming from?" Kagami said, shaking his head. "Back where I come from, there is only one Queen who rules the whole Kingdom. And everyone's happy there!"

Kagami made to walk over and help King Midorima's ebony-haired bodyguard who was fumbling with the carpet at the carriage door.

Once, Kagami had been the person who had been helped out of furnished carriages, escorted to dinners, with a hundred servants to answer to his every beck and call... But that was all in the past now. He had left his country to be here- to escape.

Lost in thought, Kagami didn't realize that he had been walking directly into someone else's path until they collided. Kagami found himself on the ground, but the man he had bumped into was still standing. He was tall, extremely so, and he was wearing a tunic of royal purple with a tell-tale insignia on it. "The Kingdom of Yosen!" Kagami spluttered, and hurried to his feet to bow low. "Your Highness, my deepest apologies. I'm afraid I lost myself for a moment."

There was no noise from the man in front of him, and for a while Kagami feared the worst. Then there were large calloused fingers on his chin and his face was tilted up. The violet-haired man's expression was terrifying. "Hmmm? Do I know you from somewhere?"

Kagami gulped briefly then blinked in surprise once the question reached his reasoning mind. "Huh? Erm, no, Your Highness, I don't believe so."

"Eh?" King Murasakibara frowned, before his smile was back again. "Ah, I see. That's what he meant when he said that you were hiding."

Kagami froze, and he heard Kiyoshi gasp behind him.

Murasakibara yawned carelessly and continued. "I received a messenger bird from a faraway Kingdom, you see. It had a portrait of a missing crown prince in it. Its funny, you see. The man in the portrait looks uncannily like you."

Kagami opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish before managing to make a recognizable noise. "I- I really don't know-"

"Don't worry." Murasakibara waved his hand dismissively. "I'll tell Prince Muro that his long-lost brother is definitely _not_ here. But... only _if_ you agree to some of my requests."

Muro... Himuro. The naming day was already long gone and Himuro was still just a Prince? Why was Queen Alex taking so long in choosing? The main reason Kagami had left the kingdom was because he hadn't wanted to be in his elder brother's way.

Before Kagami could even think of formulating a response, there was a sudden noise of a sword unsheathing and Kagami automatically turned around and unsheathed his own, his fears and worries momentarily forgotten. Sure enough, the middle of the court stood his King. Kuroko was facing off a man in a dark blue tunic.

King Akashi simply sat on his grand throne and watched the proceedings, as if it were inconsequential entertainment.

King Kise seemed to be trying to placate the dark-skinned man, who had a long jagged sword in his hand. He kept moving side to side, blocking each person's view of the other. "Aomine-cchi, Kuroko-cchi was just joking-"

"Be quiet, Kise." The man's tenor was so commanding and full of power that Kagami realized: this was the last King. His Highness of Tōō Kindom, King Aomine Daiki. "If he lectures me one more time about how I should rule my Kingdom, I'll have his head- no matter how much time we spent together as kids."

Ah... the old squabble. Kagami couldn't blame the other king. A King never wanted to be told things like that after all. It was insulting.

Kagami was surprised, however, to see that Kuroko was shaking with anger himself. It was an emotion he rarely showed. "Ruling? Is that what you call sleeping around all day and ignoring the needs of your people? You barely even _see_ your kingdom!"

Aomine let out a snarl and shoved Kise's restraining hand off him, but before the edge of his sword could fall on Kuroko's face, Kagami's sharp _Meteor_ struck with a clang against it.

Kuroko stood behind him with a small grin on his face, as if he had expecting to be saved by Kagami the whole time. It was scary actually, how much King Kuroko trusted Kagami, runaway Prince whom he had met only a few months ago. _That faith is going to get him killed someday, _Kagami thought.

King Aomine however, was another story. He looked terribly shocked that his strike had been blocked at all, as if it had never happened to him before. From the corner of his eyes, Kagami even saw King Akashi shifting on his throne, curiosity on his features.

Great... Just perfect.

Kagami had wanted to lie low, in fear of recognition. This was exactly the situation he had wanted to avoid.

"I apologize Your Higness." Kagami said, wondering how many more times he would have to say those words that day. "But I have been given orders to protect my King. I deeply regret to inform you that you may not harm him."

Kagami throught he heard a loud, amused snicker from King Midorima's personal bodyguard.

King Aomine looked positively scandalized. Supposingly having forgotten his previous anger, he slashed his formless sword away from Kagami's and craned his neck to glance at King Kuroko behind him. "Where did you find this wildcat?" He asked, his voice incredulous.

"Kagami is an old friend of mine." King Kuroko said, and Kagami wanted to strangle the infuriating boy. Didn't Kuroko see that he was attracting even more attention now?

Or maybe... he did! The little bastard! Kagami suddenly remembered what Kuroko had said to him a few nights before.

"_I have utter faith in you, Prince Kagami. I know in my heart that you are the rightful heir to your throne. I understand what people might sometimes do for their family and for what they think is right... But sometimes, even the brightest judgement is clouded. I doubt there is a better leader than you in a radius of a hundred Kingdoms from here. You _should_ be a King."_

Kuroko... that little, no-good, meddling jerk!

"My King." Kagami said instead, gritting his teeth, mindful of a certain tall King who was no doubt listening to the proceeding attentively. If word of this got back to home in any way... "May I return to tending the horses? I trust Sir Hyuga and Sir Kiyoshi can look after you now."

"No." It was King Aomine who answered, with a sudden, vice-like grip on Kagami's wrist and an animalistic smirk on his lips. "I forbid you from leaving. Spar with me."

"Not here, Daiki." King Akashi finally spoke, his tone issuing firm command. "Not now. We have important issues to discuss."

But Aomine didn't look like he cared the least about what what Akashi had to say. He was exuding power and wrath and passion, and he was looking down at Kagami as if he had spotted his favorite dish at a banquet.

"Mine-chin." An extremely large hand came to rest on Aomine's shoulder. "I'm afraid that cannot be allowed."

Aomine scowled, his eyes never leaving Kagami's face. "What do you want Mursakibara?"

"_Taiga_ here has promised to dine with _me_ tonight." Kagami winced at the utterance of his name... a name he had abandoned in his mind along with his title of Prince. Even King Kuroko stiffened behind him, understanding their predicament was more complicated than he'd realized.

"I see, we'll if Kagami agreed..." Kuroko said, with a questioning nudge to Kagami who surreptitiously shook his head.

Aomine however didn't notice the exchange. He looked murderous. "Why would you want to dine with him? Tetsu, give this Kagami to me as a gift and I'll forget your offences to me. Or even an exchange will do. I propose Sir Wakamatsu as your guard, or I can even agree to offer you a hand in marriage to my sister, Princess Satsuki. You know how she practically adores you."

"None of that will be required." Kurko bit out, his eyes narrowing. "Kagami stays in Seirin Kingdom."

"And he's coming to dinner with me afterwards." Murasakibara added almost petulantly.

Aomine looked from the Violet King to the adamant Grey King Kuroko, to King Kise's appeasing hands to King Akashi's commanding eyes, to King Midorima's amused stance. With a growl he admitted defeat. But instead of letting Kagami's wrist go, he pulled the man flush against him, making Kagami drop _Meteor_ in surprise.

"You're coming to my personal chambers tonight, no matter how late it gets." Aomine growled into Kagami's ear and seemed to glean pleasure from the way Kagami shuddered against his body. Then he abruptly let go and stalked away to where his monocled guard was standing and shaking his head at his King's antics.

King Kuroko's hand landed on Kagami's lower back in a comforting gesture. "Prince Kagami," he whispered carefully. "I am sorry. This is all my fault."

Kagami shook his head, but he couldn't stop his fists from trembling in fear.

Kagami knew very well what an invitation like that entailed.

But he also knew the consequences of refusing a direct order like that would be worse than death.

.

_**...**_

_**Angel/Demon AU**_

_**...**_

"That can't possibly be true." Aomine scoffed, turning away from his messenger and sinking his sharp teeth back into raw flesh.

"I s-s-swear, Aomine-kun." Sakurai said, shuddering at the sight of blood. He was such a soft demon- that is of course, until the need to compete with someone else arose in him. "Midorima-san got his grace back. He isn't a full archangel yet, but he has his wings back now. Pure white wings. And his grace is green, not the light blue all the archangels had before you fell."

The taste of iron filled Aomine's mouth, but in an unpleasant way this time. He spat out his food and glowered at nothing in particular. "Kise told me that he found a couple white feathers in his wings too. He said that he was beginning to feel the transformation. I didn't believe him."

Of course he didn't believe. How could he? They all had fallen from being glorious, majestic archangels into the pits of Hell as vicious, ruthless demons. Everyone except for Kuroko that is... A shadow had taken over his light at some point... and it was still there in a sense, hanging over him- but he hadn't fallen. Even Akashi, the highest in angel command, was now nothing more than the ruler of filthy demons and devils: ruler of Hell.

"What's Tetsu up to now?" Aomine asked instead.

"Kuroko-kun had sent an angel named Kiyoshi to M-Murasakibara." Sakurai stuttered. "He probably thinks it'll work like when he sent angel Takao to Midorima."

"It won't work..." Aomine snickered. "Not as long as Murasakibara has that black-hearted demon Himuro Tatsuya with him."

"Ahh... Well about that..."

"What?"

"..."

Sakurai seemed to be hesitating, his forked tongue flitting out in hesitation. Aomine's red eyes flashed to him in irritation. "Spit it out! What aren't you telling me?"

"Well... Aomine-kun, Kuroko-kun has sent an angel to Himuro-kun as well." Sakurai said. "This angel used to be a human before, and apparently he had been close to Himuro when they had both been alive."

"So?" Aomine scoffed. It was a well-known fact that other than archangels, higher-level seraphs and cherubim, many of the new angels had been humans who were granted grace after their death. "Its not like that'll change anything. Himuro's full of regret, hate, revenge and sorrow. He's the most adamant demon I've met. And that's saying something once you've met the ruler of Hell."

Sakurai paused, his eyes downcast. "I've seen this angel, Aomine-kun... When I went to spy on Murasakibara-kun." There was something in his voice, an unexpected tenderness which made Aomine's eyes widen. He'd never heard that tone in Sakurai's voice before. "He was... so beautiful. And so- _bright_. His light was definitely shining brighter than A-Akashi-san's did when he had been a high archangel. And his grace... it's red! Some say that the power of his grace may even rival Ak-"

"Stop spouting nonsense, Sakurai." Aomine waved a hand, even though his curiosity was piqued from the way Sakurai had described the angel.

"Its true!" Sakurai said, his eyes anguished. "You should be careful Aomine-kun. This angel may be the most naïve and stupid-looking creature in all of creation, but I've seen his heart and its made of pure gold. He's Heaven's most prized possession. He noticed me hovering near Murasakibara's palace when he had been visiting, and he probably mistook me for one of Himuro's minions because he just looked at me and smiled-"

Sakurai shivered, his eyes scrunched shut in pleasure and his canines were suddenly sharp and gleaming. Aomine stared at the reaction. To be able to reduce a demon like Sakurai into a lust crazed beast... Maybe this angel was dangerous after all.

"I had never wanted something more in my entire existance." Sakurai said, his voice cracking, and his eyes embarassed. "I wanted to devour his naivety and purity. Its a good thing Imayoshi-kun didn't go with me today, Aomine-kun. I don't think he would have been able to resist himself."

Aomine found himself rising from his throne of jaggedly cut stalactite, and approached Sakurai, placing a hand covered in blood and sharp talons on his shoulder. "This angel... what's his name Sakurai?"

"Taiga..." Sakurai said, his eyes glazing over once again at the mere utterance of the name. "Kagami Taiga."

.

_**...**_

_**Stepbrothers AU**_

_**...**_

Kagami entered the house and dropped his schoolbag onto the floor, throwing off his nikes with a shout of, "I'm home!"

It was shortly answered by a deep, "Am I supposed to fucking care about that?"

Kagami scowled and cursed his life.

_It could be worse..._ he reasoned. Kagami's father had died in a car crash in California. And after two horrible years of crying, alcohol and unknown male guests late at night, Kagami's mother had decided to move back to Japan for a fresh start with life.

Surely enough, that's when Kagami met Aomine Daiki in middle school. He had hated the tanned boy the moment he had laid eyes on him. That self-assured confidence, 11 year-old mischief, the carefree nature- To be honest, Kagami had been envious of it all. As a child the only person he had been able to open up to was his best friend Tatsuya. But he hadn't been here then. Tatsuya had only recently moved back to Japan.

But the story was digressing. Back to the subject of Kagami's mourning Mom... and Aomine's then recently divorced father.

It was at their first meeting in the principal's office when Kagami had seen a faint glimmer of interest in his mother's eyes after four years of total blankness. And Aomine's father had responded enthusiastically too.

Kagami really should have known that it would escalate right from then.

Where Kagami and Aomine got along together as well as oil and water, their respective single parents had hit it off like a perfect cocktail.

And this was where it landed him. Kagami was stuck sharing an apartment with Aomine while their parents led quiet and romantic lives somewhere in the snowcapped mountains of Hokkaido, sending a postcard and kissy-face snapshot to them every week.

Yeah, you heard right... The two single parents went ahead and freaking married, leaving the two boys behind to live together as reluctant stepbrothers.

Kagami sighed. It was not as if his was displeased or angry at his mother. The opposite actually. Kagami did miss his father terribly, but it was a nice change to see his mother smiling and happy rather than seeing her drowning herself in vodka and misery. So it was all fine in that sense...

What _wasn't_ fine, was the way-

"What're you cooking tonight?"

-he was always ordered around by his _slave-driver_ of a stepbrother...

Kagami frowned and walked towards the kitchen, grabbing his apron from the hook on the wall. "What would you like to eat, _Master_?" he grumbled and heard Aomine snort in his room.

Kagami took out a chopping board and began slicing onions and chillies.

It was now seven years since they had met, and now at his 18th year, Kagami still felt inadequate to the instinctual suavety with which Aomine faced life.

Tatysuya's voice suddely reverberated in mind. _"You have a serious brother complex, Taiga."_

_Kagami had spluttered at the sudden comment. "What? I- of course I don't! I mean, it's Aomine!"_

"_No need to get defensive. I'm just saying." Tatsuya had sniggered. _

"_Idiot!" Kagami flushed. "If I did have a brother complex, which I _don't_, it would be weird for you too! I mean... I-I consider _you_ my brother as well!"_

_Tatsuya had simply smiled that irritating, mysterious grin of his and tilted Kagami's head up to place a soft kiss to the corner of his lips. _

"_Exactly." He had said, making Kagami turn a deep shade of red. "The truth is, you don't really see Aomine as a brother, do you? You see him as so much more..."_

Kagami nearly cut his finger and decided to bring himself back to the present, concentrating at the task at hand. His face was tinted pink, but not because of the memory. It was because of the fact that for a several years- and _nights_- now, he's been dreaming about that very scene, but instead of Tatsuya's pale hand and onyx eyes, he has seen tanned fingers and a navy blue gaze piercing into him with desire before pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Yo." Came a voice from behind and Kagami jumped, the chopping knife dropping to the board with a clang.

"I swear, Aho." Kagami grumbled with a groan. "One day I'm going to lose my fingers and it'll be your fault."

Aomine carelessly lounged against the island in the kitchen, fishing into a jar of cookies with an amused grin on his face.

"What're you- don't eat biscuits _now_, idiot! I'm cooking dinner!" Kagami admonished.

Aomine raised an eyebrow but returned the chocolate cookie back into the jar. "Okay, _Mom_."

"Fuck you." Kagami answered with a wave of his middle finger and Aomine snickered behind him.

After a while, he walked over to where Kagami's was now chopping cabbage and rested with his elbows on the counter, his face tilted at Kagami.

"Tatsuya called while you when you were out." Aomine said, his eyes fixed on Kagami's face. Kagami, remembering his recent thoughts on what Tatysuya had insinuated about Kagami's feelings for his stepbrother, blushed heavily. He didn't notice the frown his reaction produced on Aomine's face.

"And?" Kagami asked, trying to keep the shaky note out of his voice.

"I answered, but he thought it was you at first." Aomine's eyes were literally boring holes into Kagami now. "I didn't know that he called you '_Taiga dear_'."

Kagami gasped. It had been a joke between them ever since Tatsuya had determind that Kagami had 'a thing' for Aomine. He had told Tatsuya a million times not to call him- "Its a joke." Kagami blurted out immediately, sure that the heating sensation on is face meant that he was impersonating a cherry right now. "You know Tatsuya, he likes to fool around."

"You can tell me you know." Aomine said suddenly, sounding irritated. "I not like I'll judge you or anything. That apron your wearing is as gay as it gets anyway."

Kagami's breath hitched and he thought he could feel steam coming out of his ears. "Why, I-I have no idea what you're t-talking about, idiot! Stop s-saying stupid things!"

Aomine didn't reply, but pushed off the counter and left Kagami's angle of sight. Kagami let his stiff shoulders loosen a little, but then suddenly there were warm fingers at his neck, and deft hand undid the clasp of a silver chain which slid down his throat into a waiting hand. As Aomine's hand moved away, Kagami turned on autopilot and grasped thin air to retrieve his necklace.

Aomine stood a good distance away, holding up the chain and the ring hanging from it. "If he's nothing more than a friend, care to explain this?"

Kagami cursed under his breath, and felt his anger hitch. "Give it back, Aomine."

Aomine's eyes narrowed at the words and he clenched the chain tighter in his fist. "Not until you admit it."

"Admit what?"

"Don't play coy! I've seen an identical chain on his neck too!"

"Yeah, but its a friendship necklace!"

"Guys don't do shit like that!"

"Well we do!"

"Why?"

"Cause he's like- like my brother!"

"_We're_ brothers!"

"We don't count!"

Aomine growled. "Fine, if that's what it'll take for you to admit..." The held the necklace in both hands now and pulled. Kagami gasped.

"Aomine, what are y- no, don't!"

The necklace shattered in a rain of small silver hoops and the ring went flying through the air. Kagami followed its trajectory with a rapidly beating heart and caught it just before it hit the sink and was lost forever. He then put the fist holding the ring against his mouth, sighing in relief. The chain didn't matter, but Kagami would never forgive himself if he lost the ring. It was the sign of his first and most strongest friendship.

Besides, Tatsuya would literally kill him if he ever lost it.

He heard Aomine making a derisive noise behind him and turned around.

"How can you still say that there's nothing between you two after making that expression?" There was a pained expression on Aomine's tanned face and his fists were still clenched around the remnants of silver chain. Drops of crimson were seeping down his right hand onto the white floor.

Kagami gasped. He quicky placed the ring on his little finger, the only finger on which he could squeeze the ring in anymore, and rushed to Aomine.

"You're hurt!" He exclaimed, pulling Aomine's right hand up and throwing the disjointed pieces of silver in his palm to the floor. Aomine stared at him. "Idiot, we have a basketball match tomorrow! How are we going to explain this to the coach?"

"Yeah... Its fine, let go-"

"Shut up! You are such an ass..."

"Fuck! Hey, that was painful!"

"Well, serves you right! You idiot, why would you even do something like that?"

"...What, you really don't know?"

"Huh?" Kagami frowned, concentrating on the gashed palms. "Know what?"

Aomine didn't reply verbally.

His eyes blazing and determined, he raised his left hand to the back of Kagami's neck and crushed their lips together. A tongue forced its way into the depths of Kagami's surprised mouth and claimed the hot cavern. Kagami felt his legs shaking at the assault and wound his arms around Aomine's shoulders before his knees buckled.

Before he knew it, Kagami was responding, kissing back just as fervently and gasping when Aomine bit his lip savagely, angrily.

"How... l-long?"

"I've wanted you for years..." Aomine hissed into Kagami's ear. "You have no idea how hard this had been. If I could, I'd never have you so much as looking at another person again. But naturally I couldn't, because you hate me."

Kagami shuddered and moaned into Aomine's cheek, which made the tanned boy thrust his hips forward with a low growl.

"I've never hated you... not really." Kagami admitted, whispering into Aomine's eager mouth. "I've- I've admired you, for the longest time.

Aomine looked up at him, his blue eyes disbelieving for the briefest moments., before he gave Kagami a devilish smirk. "Of course you have. I'm perfection incarnated after all." He said cockily.

But the kiss he placed on Kagami's lips a second later was anything but dominating. It was slow, almost gentle. And Aomine's eyes were closed, and he was putting all his passion into the kiss, thanking Kagami's return of his affections.

"...ve you." Kagami heard the words mumbled against his jaw and smiled slowly.

"You big softie." He muttered, but his hands carded gently through Aomine's spiky hair.

When Aomine rested his forehead on Kagami's shoulder and let out a throaty laugh, Kagami felt his heart thud warmly against his chest.

"Hey, Aomine." Kagami said suddenly, shivering with pleasure at the sensation of Aomine's lips brushing over his throat.

"Hmmm?" The other boy replied lazily.

"...Does this mean we're committing incest?"

.

_**...**_

_**Superheroes AU**_

_**...**_

"Let me get this straight." said Takao, his electric blue eyes roving around the room. "You want _these_ guys to work together? You've lost it right? I mean, Shin-chan is already a totally unsocial recluse... but these guys are a hundred times worse!"

"Hawk Eye." Kuroko sighed. "You must understand the situation we are facing. The Emperor's tyrant personality has taken over his mind. We cannot just stand and watch him destroy the planet."

There were murmurs of agreement in the room, but not very many.

"The Shadow's... not wrong." Voiced a blonde man, after a pregnant pause. His looked up and transformed his features into Kuroko's blue-haired, smaller form, his voice rising a couple octaves. "In these desperate time of need, superheroes have to be righteous and true, right Shadow-cchi?"

"Exactly." Kuroko replied, smiling. "We should attack now, while we are at an advantage. The Emperor will not be expecting all of us against him."

"That's all very nice and all, Tetsu." Replied a bored looking masked man lounging in his chair at a corner of the room. "But you know as well as I do that we still won't really hold up against his powers. Plus, the Emperor's not exactly alone either. He has the Uncrowned Generals with him. Well- four of them at least. We're lucky that Iron Heart decided to join us."

Kuroko for some reason, had a rather smug look on his features. "Ahh... I guess this is the part where I introduce my partner to you all then. Gentlemen! And ladies..." He paused with a bow to the three girls in the room. "Allow me to introduce... Tiger!"

The entrance however, of this Tiger, was far from spectacular. He was shoved unceremoniously into the room by Barrier Jumper and started cursing when he nearly tripped over his cape.

"That's it! I'm sick of this costume!" He complained, his hand reached back and ripped of the vivid red cape flowing down his back. "Kuro- erm... I mean, Shadow! I want to know what these are made of. And who designs these! Do they know how constricting these tights are? Oww..."

Kuroko simply sighed, and threw and apologetic look over to his audience.

The man lounging in the corner of the room snorted. "That's it? This blundering idiot is humanity's last hope?"

Before Kuroko could reply, Kagami spun around at the direction from where the voice had issued. Raising a hand, his ripped off his mask, revealing a face which looked like it had been chiseled by some deity. He had hair as red as his vividly colorful cape, and his eyes were blazing with the ferocity of a wild animal.

"Hey, smartass." He grumbled angrily, not realizing the way everyone was gasping in shock at what he'd just done. "You try wearing latex all day and tell me it doesn't hurt!"

Kuroko was now rubbing a weary hand over his eyes and Hawk Eye was busy trying to repress his laughter, his shoulders shaking.

"Tiger." Kuroko said in a carefully measured voice. "You're not supposed to take off your mask. Your identity is supposed to be your most precious secret."

Kagami seemed to realized just then what he had done, but then he just looked at his mask once before chucking it away at no direction in particular. "Who cares?" He scoffed. "Its not like they can use my identity against me anyway. I don't exaclty have anyone attached to my name... not anymore."

The blond woman in the corner gave Tiger a small, sad smile. "Tiger..."

"So what can you do?" Asked the previously lounging man, who was suddenly sitting up on his chair. At Tiger's befuddled look he elaborated. "What are your powers, _Tiger_?"

"Panther..." Kuroko said warningly.

Tiger wondered who actually chose all these idiotic feline names... Bird names like Hawk Eye and Eagle Eye were cool. Even Barrier Jumper, or Iron Heart sounded awesome. But _Tiger_ and _Panther_? Seriously? They sounded so douchy...

"What?" Panther interrupted Tiger's thoughts, addressing Kuroko with a with a smirk on his lips. "If we're supposed to be working together with him, then we should know what he's capable of doing right?"

Kagami looked away from the challenging eyes under the black mask, and to his their super-hero team manager, the psychic Riko.

But it was the clairvoyant pink-haired girl beside Riko who replied. "Oh my... He's quite strong, isn't he Shadow-kun? Is this why you've been wating to keep him a secret away from everyone else?"

Kuroko pursed his lips, his face expressionless. "What have you seen?"

"Not the full extent of his powers yet. Even I can't see that many futures all at once." Momoi replied, gazing at Kagmi curiously. "But I know that he has incredible... capabilities. Things that he doesn't even know that he can do yet."

The man called Panther got up from his chair and in another second he had Kagami's hand twisted around his back, a rustle of flying papers flying in the wake of his supersonic speed.

"So what can he do now?" The man asked, his breath warm against Tiger's neck.

"Ah... Panther." Kuroko said, surreptitiously ducking under a the desk. "I don't think that you should-"

There wasn't even time to issue a legitimate warning before it happened. A blast of red light seemingly erupted from Tiger and Aomine found himself thrown back into the air. His super speed the only thing which allowed him to change direction before he hit his skull againt the wall. It was... an interesting reaction. It had been years since Aomine had been caught unawares like that.

His own mask came off in the blast but Aomine didn't care either. Everyone in the room knew him personally after all. Everyone except Tiger, who was currently kneeling beside him with mix of awkwardness and anxiousness etched on his face.

"Are-Are you okay?" He asked, his eyes looking carefully over Aomine. "I'm sorry, that wasn't on purpose, I swear. It just happened sometimes when I feel threatened."

"You release piss-off blasts?" Aomine snorted, getting to his feet and looking down on Kagami, who was still on his knees. "That's it?"

"Oh, hardly." Momoi replied, her eyes curiously mirthful as she looked at them. Being a clairvoyant, she, along with those who knew Tiger personally had taken cover before the blast. "That's just a defensive reflex. Just wait till you see him go on offense."

"Kag- er, Tiger do incredible jumps, use super strength, blasts, and the Zone which allows him to briefly control time. The Zone, particularly, is not very different from what you are capable of, Panther." Kuroko answered.

Aomine's brows rose at that. "You can control time too?" He asked, looking back at Kagami in a new light.

"That's not all though." Momoi said, frowning. "What are you hiding, Shadow-kun?"

Kuroko hesitated. But a nod from Riko and Barrier Jumper gave him the permission to continue. "Tiger has the power... to change people's hearts. Its a subtle power, but his presence seems to change people for the better. I think the actual fact that Assassin is here today is proof of his power."

Midorima looked up balefully at Kuroko but nodded in a disgruntled manner. "That is a stupid terrible example, Shadow. A better example would be how Tiger somehow managed to make the Flower King hand himself over to the police out of his own violition."

Aomine found himself grinning widely. He extended his hand and placed them on Kagami's strong shoulder, raising the man to eye-level with him.

"Well then. Maybe you can entertain me for a while?" Aomine asked, chuckling slightly at Kagami's uncomprehensing look. "Welcome to the Miracles, Tiger."

.

_**...**_

_**Post Winter Cup Party**_

_**...**_

The music was blaringly loud... Some new-generaton, J-Pop rock-and-roll that Takao had decided to put on. Kagami for one, didn't recognize it.

But to tell the truth, Kagami currently couldn't be bothered about who was singing or what the singer was screeching out through the speakers. He was slightly occupied. They were all at Midorima's house to celebrate the end of the Winter Cup. Well... most of them were there anyway.

And Alexandra was completely drunk. As in _wasted_. _Really_ _hammered_.

She was currently encouraging Aida Riko to make out with her, and from the way Riko was giggling... Kagami decided it was time to intervene.

"Coach, you shouldn't listen to what Alex is saying!"

"Kagami, you road kill!" Alex slurred, winding a hand around Kagami's shoulder and slumped immediately. "Don't parade on everyone's rain!"

"You're embarassing yourself." Kagami spoke through his teeth.

"You're embarassed of me?!" Alex cried, pushing Kagami bodily away from her.

Oh hell...

Alex's eyes brimmed with tears all of a sudden and she began to sniffle.

"But I think of you as my son!" She told Kagami accusingly, deaf to his attempts at placating her. "You and Tatsuya both... Where's- oh hey, Tatsuya!"

Alex seemed to grab the startled, black-haired boy almost out of thin air before she proceeded to sob of his shoulder.

"Kagami hates meeee!"

Tatsuya gave Kagami the look, one that usually made him feel like a three year old child.

"Kagami, you know how she gets when she's drunk." Tatsuya whispered, patting Alex soothingly on the back.

"What do you expect me to do?" Kagami said, mindful of the sets of eyes focusing on them right now.

Tatsuya shrugged. "Apologize. Do your thing, you know. Just kiss and make up already."

"Oooh! Kiss!" Alex said, brightening up in a matter of moments and puckering her lips immediately. "Kiss who?"

"Taiga." Tatsuya told her cheerfully, steering clear of her searching mouth. "Taiga is offering to kiss you."

Kagami winced before he managed to fabricate a weak smile on his lips and offered his cheek up for the sacrifi- er, the kiss.

But apparently, Alex's intoxicated brain had other ideas... and she launched herself at Kagami. Grabbing his cheeks she joined their lips together. Kagami lost his balance and fell back on Midorima's fluffy couch, flailing for a moment before fisting his hands into a soft cushion and scrunching his eyes shut.

Now it might come as a shock to many, but Kagami wasn't as inexperienced as people usually believed. What usually got him shy, was when _girls_ were involved in these matters... But Alex was more like his Mom, so this whole thing just made Kagami really uncomfortable. Alex's strong jaw wrenched Kagami's mouth open and she poked her tongue in roughly while her hard body kept him pinned on the sofa. Kagami stayed as still as possible and let her abus- er, _kiss_ his mouth... waiting for her to fall asleep or lose consciousness.

This wasn't unusual for a drunk Alex to do, and Tatsuya and himself were quite familiar with her antics... But they weren't in Kansas anymore- no, this was _Japan_.

Kagami suddenly realized in sheer panic that there was no noise except for the wailing of the J-Pop singer and the wet sounds of kissing. His eyes fluttered open and he shoved his mentor away from himself. She prompty rolled over and fell asleep on the couch, snoring.

The whole room was staring at him. Some people like Midorima and Moriyama had blushes on their faces while others like Kise and Takao were staring at Kagami almost with a fierce sort of pride on their expressions. And then there was-

Kagami wrenched his eyes away from the shocked dark blue orbs and slapped a hand to his mouth. Then he did the first thing that came to his mind... and pelted away towards Midorima's balcony.

.

Kagami didn't know how long it had been since he was outside now. All he knew was that his breath was coming out in mists and that he was leaning his head against the cold railing, trying to catch his breath.

How shocking it must have been for them all! Kagami wasn't stupid. He knew that people considered him to be an oblivious, prudish boy here... for some silly reason. After all, Kagami had grown up in California and he was pretty sure that he was more open-minded about many things than all the people currently sitting around in Midorima's living room. Well, everyone except for Alex and Himuro.

"Oi." Called out a familiar voice that made Kagami bang his head against the railings. He hissed in pain as a sharp metallic sound rang out. "...Well, shit. You really are drunk I guess."

Kagami froze. Of course it had to be him... Who else would have followed him outside?

"Ahomine?"

"Don't call me that... Bakagami." Aomine walked over to where Kagami was impersonating an ice sculpture and leaned on the balcony on his elbows, beside Kagami. "Did you puke or something?"

Kagami blinked. "Eh?"

"You came out here clutching you mouth and shit." Aomine told him, looking vaguely amused. "I thought you were going to hurl. No idea why though, that show was spectacular."

"What show?" Kagami chanced.

Aomine turned to him incredously. "You forgot? You just had a hot make out session with that busty American chick of yours."

"Oh. Yeah I guess." Kagami suddenly felt a hysterical laugh bubbling up and erupting from him. It kind of hurt.

Why?

…

Well because Kagami was fucking in love with this jerk who was probably going to wank off tonight to visions of his basketball mentor.

Yep, real truth right there.

Kagami Taiga, the ace of Japan's top high school basketball team, who had just recently beaten every Generation of Miracle member at the Winter Cup... had the hots for a perverted, basketball-crazed moron.

He knew it was a fruitless desire. Kagami had actually known for a long time now team he played for. While he knew how to appreciate pretty ladies, his body was more tuned to hard masculine bodies and square jaws. And it was just Kagami's rotten luck that the person who got his heart racing with adrenalin and energy, who made him mutter nonsenses and breathe harshly at night... was Aomine freaking Daiki.

The Tōō ace who liked Mai-chan's boobs, sexy girls... and most definitely _not_ men.

Suffice it to say that Kagami, his most hated rival, didn't stand a chance.

_Somebody up there must really hate me..._ Kagami thought.

Kagami didn't realize he was on his knees until he felt a warm hand slapping his back.

"Hey! Oi, get up! Damn it, Kagami don't you dare puke on my jordans!"

Kagami let out another breathy chuckle and pulled himself up from his heaving position, finding himself face to face with an almost concerned gaze.

"You're stable enough?"

"... Yeah." Kagami replied, but wanted to take back his words the moment he felt the warm hand retreat from his back. "Is Alex... alright?"

"She blacked out on the couch right after you left." Aomine said, scratching his head in an almost nervous gesture. "You know, for a while we all thought..."

"What?"

"Well, Tetsu pointed out that she sleeps naked in you house so we thought that- Nah, it was a stupid thought. I mean, you're Bakagami!" Aomine said, waving a hand carelessly. "Then that Himuro dude said that she's always like this, and that you were probably drunk. I have to say that you're one lucky guy Kagami, to have a coach like her."

"You don't say." Kagami grunted and got to his feet, nearly stumbling when he noticed Aomine's proximity.

"You're such a lightweight." Came the bemused response. Aomine probably thought that he was still tipsy.

Kagami almost rolled his eyes, and was about to tell Aomine that no, he was perfectly capable of downing more than three small bottles of root bee-

Wait! Hang on a second...

Aomine. Thought. ThatKagamiwasdrunk!

So that meant (Kagami already knew that he was _so_ going to regret this idea later on) right now, Kagami could get away with doing anything, and the alcohol would be the one blamed!

As a result, Kagami found himself turning to face Aomine and took a deep breath. When he looked up, he saw intense navy blue eyes fixed on him confusedly.

"What?"

Kagami took a step forward and almost automatically, Aomine stepped back, his face sending out a clear warning.

"Oi baka, cut that out."

Could he? Kagami could stop and act like he'd come to his senses...

"Kagami!" A hand firmly fixed itself on his shoulder, keeping Kagami at an arm-length from Aomine.

...But then, he might never get this chance again.

"Shush!" Kagami shrugged away the hand and closed the distance between, placing his index finger on Aomine's lips. Hey, if the idiot thought he was drunk, then the least he could do was act the part. "You keep talking so much."

The tanned boy's eyes were incredibly wide at they stared at Kagami. He only wondered what he looked like now. Kagami knew that and that his breath was coming in short bursts, his lips were slightly parted, and his eyes were half-lidded and fixed on Aomine's lips.

"Kagami..." Aomine's breath ghosted warmly on his finger. "Don-"

But before he could hear that word, or completely lose his nerve, Kagami did it. He removed finger and crashed his lips to Aomine's, his eyes tightly shut.

Himuro would have been so proud if he'd seen Kagami right now.

Kagami felt a gut-wrenching pang when Aomine froze. But then again, that kind of reaction was kind of expected, really. Of course the tanned boy didn't respond, but Kagami could feel the warmth of his lips against his own frozen ones, the way they molded so softly into the kiss- Kagami parted his lips and let his tongue venture out and touch Aomine's lower lip, and when it opened with a gasp, Kagami took his chance and thrust his tongue inside, trying to find Aomine's and trace his mouth at the same time.

Kagami braced his hands on Aomine's muscular shoulders and moaned when the boy's lips pushed back and he angled his head to dee-

Pushed back?

Kagami ripped away from Aomine, staring at him with a perplexed expression. There had been the faint taste of _sake_ in Aomine's mouth. Could it be that... "Are you drunk too?" he asked Aomine.

But the tanned boy was currently staring at Kagami's lips in a way that made Kagami's whole body tingle. His hands suddenly wrapped around Kagami's waist and he flipped them around, shoving Kagami hard against the railings of Midorima's balcony.

"Aomine?" Kagami's his voice broke at the last syllable.

Aomine looked up at his eyes and there was an unfathomable look in his eyes, mixed with something else Kagami instantly recognized: lust.

.

_**...**_

_**Children AU**_

_**...**_

Apparently, Daiki had prepared something very important for them to do that day.

It was one of the main reasons they were not horsing around today but huddled in the treehouse Daiki's father had made for them in their garden.

"Daiki." Kagami whispered, as the other boy chewed on his lower lip nervously. "What is it?"

"I wanted to do something today." Daiki sounded unnaturally nervous.

"You already said that." Kagami walked over to the boy who had his hands behind his back and wound an arm around his shoulder. "What is it, Daiki?"

"Its... You're leaving." He blurted out and Kagami blinked. "I overheard our parents talking last time. They're going to America, and they're going to take you with them."

Kagami didn't even know if those words were true, but the mere idea of leaving his friend behind brought a swell of water to his eyes. "W-What?"

"Taiga! Oh no, don't cry- I didn't want to m-make you c-cry." Aomine's nose was all scrunched up, and Kagami knew from experience that he was trying his best to hold back tears. "You'll be fine. You'll go away and make new friends and... I'm not as cool as you, but I'll make friends too- I think-"

"Aho! You're cool!" Kagami blubbered, protesting between gasps and the tears pouring out if his eyes. "You're so cool! I swear, you're cooler than me!"

"Really?" Aomine looked rather pleased at that, even though his eyes were red now.

"What did- this is so not cool..." Kagami wiped away the wetness from his cheeks and looked up at Aomine inquisitively. "What did you want to do?"

In reply, and much to Kagami's utter shock, Aomine grabbed Kagami's face and smacked a wet kiss on his lips. When he pulled away the next second, Aomine's cheeks were vivid red.

Kagami, however, just felt terribly confused. The whole thing was too much for his seven-year-old brain to comprehend. He raised a finger to his lips and touched them in awe, all the while staring at Aomine who looked back at him like he had surprised himself by his own actions.

"Why did you do that?" Kagami wasn't surprised that his voice was no more than a whisper.

Aomine flushed brighter. "Stupid... Its what parents do don't they? To show that they lo- like each other?"

"Kiss?"

"Yeah, you know..." Aomine was twisting his fingers on his lap now. "Adults do it to show that they care-"

"I know _that_." Kagami interrupted. "My parents do it too. But I thought that only boys and girls do it."

"Why?" Aomine was looking at Kagami apprehensively, like Kagami would berate him or tell anyone what they had done.

"I haven't seen boys kissing before." Kagami answered simply.

Aomine's eyebrows bunched up. "Yeah, I haven't either. I- I'm so sorr-"

Before he could finish, Kagami used the hand which was still slung over Aomine's shoulders to bring the other boy around. Their lips met again in a slightly longer kiss, which was equally, childishly wet.

Aomine looked up at Kagami once it had ended with a questioning look on his face. "I don't care. If you want us to kiss, then we'll kiss." Kagami shot Aomine his brightest grin, his eyes still wet with tears. "Because I really care about you too!"

Aomine stared for a while longer and then suddenly, new patches of red bloomed on his cheek which were suddenly hidden when he slapped his hands to his face.

"What?" Kagami pulled away, and then enveloped Aomine in a hug. "Hey, don't _hide_! Look, Daiki, we don't even know for sure if I'm leaving yet! Its going to be fine..."

"Its not that." Aomine's voice was muffled by his hands. "Just... let's not tell anyone about this."

"Okay." Kagami felt Aomine's hands wrapping around him too as he buried his face into Kagami's hair. Kagami squeezed the boy tight. "Whatever happens, Daiki, you'll me my best friend forever."

He felt Aomine sigh, and return the hug. "You'll be mine too... Forever."

.

_**...**_

_**Salarymen AU**_

_**...**_

Aomine entered the hotel room and then slammed the door shut, locking it before pushing Kagami up against it bodily. Kagami nearly whimpered when Aomine's body brushed against his.

And then it began in earnest. After all that teasing, all those fist-fights, all those intense gazes. Two months of sexual tension had led to this night.

Aomine leaned in and ravaged Kagami's lips like a ferocious beast, biting and nipping, rolling his hips against Kagami's and trailing his hands down Kagami's sides.

Kagami had responded eagerly, hardly able to believe that this was really happening. His arms rose to rest on Aomine's shoulders, his hands fisted into dark, dark hair. Aomine had let out something akin to a growl at the contact, but he hadn't pulled away, only kissed harder.

At a particularly harsh rut of his hips, Kagami let out a moan, and Aomine finally broke their lips apart to take a much needed breath of air. Then he suddenly jerked Kagami away from the door and threw him on top of the bed, hovering on top of him.

"Your trousers." Aomine said in a very low voice, his fingers at the collar of his shirt, loostening his tie. "Take them off."

Kagami leaned over to do so, only with a slight hesitation in his shaky movements. He feared that Aomine would realize what he was doing and stop, or worse... be utterly disgusted and just leave. He shook off his capris, shimmying them down his hips.

Aomine just ripped open his shirt and threw it away somewhere behind his back haphazardly, climbing into the bed with the red-head. His eyes were intense as they looked Kagami up and down. "No... That's not enough."

"Wha-what?" Kagami asked, confusedly. He jumped about a mile when Aomine's hands ghosted over his thighs.

"Strip."

.

_**...**_

_**Future AU: Police!Aomine and Fireman!Kagami**_

_**...**_

"...so then the boy just walked over and gave Minori-chan a very unsettling look. I swear Kagami-kun, that child reminds me of Akashi-kun a little."

"Yeesh... Better you than me dealing with them. That's all I'm saying."

Kagami was just enjoying a couple (He was currently eating his 8th) Maji burgers with Kuroko, reminicing about past basketball games and discussing Kuroko's current job wrangling what Kagami liked to call those mini-humans at the kindergarten. A flash of pink swirled by and Momoi Satsuki's distraught figure landed on the seat beside Kuroko.

"Momoi-san?" Kuroko said, putting his milkshake down immediately (Seriously, was there anything he ever consumed besides that sweet beverage?). "What's the matter?"

Momoi's pretty eyes were red from crying and she sniffled as Kuroko placed an arm around her comfortingly. "Tetsu-kun... Its- Its that BAKA again!" Momoi exclaimed, throwing herself into Kuroko's arms.

Ah. Kagami knew who that meant, especially since every single time the two of them fought, Momoi would rush over to find Kuroko and not moments later, Kagami would receive a text from a certain someone.

"What did Aomine-kun do this time, Momoi-san?" Kuroko asked.

"He's just... b-being his usual stubborn self!" Momoi complained. "I told him that he's been pushing himself too hard over that drug case he's overseeing right now and he told me to 'piss off'!"

"Ah well, Aomine-kun is always acting like that, you know him." Kuroko said soothingly, rubbing circles on Momoi's back.

Seriously, Kuroko had the art of comforting a girl down right. All Kagami did only made them awkward or cry more.

"But Tetsu-kun! He hasn't even been eating or sleeping very much these days!"

"Being a police chief is busy work. Especially in a city like Tokyo." Kagami piped up, shoving a handful of fries into his mouth.

Momoi looked over to him in desperation. "Kagamin! Why don't you do something about this? He always listens to you!"

"...He doesn't." Kagami replied, feeling heat rise up his cheeks at the very idea of Aomine doing things for his sake. "Not always."

"Well, more than he listens to me!"

The next second, Kagami's phone buzzed and sure enough, there on his screen was the message he was expecting.

"Er, I have to go guys." Kagami said, rising from his seat and pocketing two burgers for the road. "Something urgent just came up-"

"Ask him to leave off the case, Kagamin!" Momoi said immediately.

"Say hello to Aomine-kun for me please." Kuroko intoned.

Kagami glared at the two of them and for a brief moment, a playful smile appeared on Kuroko's lips. "I'll text you later." Kagami finally said, before he left Maji burger and began walking down the road to the street courts, unwrapping a burger.

.

**From: Ahomine Daiki**

**To: Kagami Taiga**

_Bakagami, 1-on-1?_

.

When Kagami arrived at the courts he saw a tall figure already waiting there, shooting hoops. At the sound of his footsteps the figure turned around.

Aomine Daiki looked devilishly handsome in the fading twilight. His body had developed into a more muscular version of his highschool self, not too bulky and just the right amount of hardness, and he was still taller than Kagami. His expressions and mannerisms didn't changed much from back then either. Even now Aomine sported a bored, unamused look on his face as he spun the basketball artfully on his index finger.

"Finally." he said, as a means of greeting as Kagami approached.

Kagami held out a plastic bag. "Eat first." He ordered, in a no-nonsense voice.

Aomine, being the complete jerk he was, swiveled around to face the basket again, preparing for a shot. "I called you here to play me, not mother-hen me. I've already got Satsuki for that."

"I know. But that hardly matters since apparently, you feel the need to ignore her concerns." Kagami said. "Kuroko says hello by the way."

Aomine was about to shoot, but he paused suddenly, turning to Kagami with an imperceptible frown. "You were with him today?"

"Yeah." Kagami replied. "Enjoying a pretty nice meal too until Momoi came up to us complaining about your attitude."

Aomine scowled. "She can't expect me to not say anything when she comes up to my office with a homemade bento. I have a reputation to uphold... people would talk."

Kagami guessed that those did sound like legitimate reason to justify the way Aomine had acted, but he'd die many times over before he said that to Momoi.

Aomine dropped the ball and began dribbling. He didn't look like he was about to stop any moment soon and Kagami rolled his eyes at the stubborness. He grabbed the sleeve of Aomine's shirt and turned him around, thrusting the plastic bag at his chest. "I want to play too, but I also want you to chill out for once. Just eat the damn thing." Kagami said. "It's a Teriyaki burger, and trust me... I'll finish it if you don't."

Aomine looked from Kagami's face to the bag at his chest and then back at Kagami again, before grinning. "You're going to make a lovely wife someday." He snickered, and Kagami spluttered in outrage. "Seriously, someone on this earth will become a happy husband."

"Shut up, jackass!"

He didn't hit Aomine like he wanted to however, because the darker man actually accepted the burger and began to eat a moment later.

"How's work?" Kagami asked, munching on his own burger. While he had stopped to buy a couple for Aomine, he hand't been able to help himself and had bought several things for his own nourishment... again.

"Satsuki told you right?" Aomine said. "Its a drug case. Boring as shit since we don't have many leads. What about you?"

"We're finally doing that physical training camp in Hokkaido." Kagami said, finishing his burger in three large bites and beginning another. "There's going to be lots of partnership-building exercises and tons of exertion and endurance training."

Aomine remained silent, not even acknowledging him with a grunt. When Kagami looked up, he found himself looking into twin pools of midnight blue. Of course his heart stuttered at the sight.

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah, for two weeks." Kagami breathed.

Aomine frowned. "Then who's gonna entertain me here?"

Kagami blushed pink at his choice of words and looked away. "I dunno, call up Kise or someone." He wasn't Aomine's personal servant... or courtisan...

"... Is Haizaki's going too? To this training thing?" Aomine asked suddenly.

Haizaki Shogo, the terrifying boy who adored violence back in high school, was now a firefighter alongside Kagami. At first they had crossed tempers and words quite a bit, but now Kagami was used to the ash-haired man. They couldn't exactly afford _not_ standing each other. After all, Haizaki had been chosen as Kagami's firefighting partner.

Haizaki was also a person who shared no common ground with Aomine except their mutual animosity and unspoken arragement to ignore each other's existance.

"Yeah, he is." Kagami said warily.

"Great." Aomine replied sullenly. "No its fine. You go bond with him and leave me here alone to deal with Satsuki and her annoying face all day. And Tetsu's texts too."

Kagami bit back a laugh which was bubbling up at the sight of Aomine's petulant face. They're weren't exactly friends... but their relationship had advanced a substantial amount from their years back at school.

"You'll survive. I'll be back before you know it." Kagami said, grimacing when he noticed that there were no more burgers left.

Aomine looked at him for a while, then suddenly he lunged forward before Kagami could back away, coming so close that his nose tickled Kagami's ear.

"W-Wha-?" It was just one of the many things which Aomine did on a daily basis which never failed to baffle Kagami... or make his stomach do cartwheels, but Aomine couldn't possibly know about that. "What're you-"

"You don't smell like smoke." Aomine said, drawing back. "No duty today?"

"None." Kagami said. "I'm actually glad. I know its my job... but me not having to work also means that nobody's being engulfed in flames. So its a nice thought."

"Doesn't Tetsu nag you like Satsuki does me?" Aomine asked quietly. "You're job's dangerous. Possibly more risky than mine."

Kagami looked away, wondering whether or not it was hidden concern he was hearing from Aomine. Instead of answering, Kagami got to his feet and aimed the now crumpled plastic bag at a bin, and of course he missed the target. Ignoring Aomine's soft chuckle, he stuck out a hand in front of the tanned face and said, "Come on... let's play."

Aomine grasped the proffered arm and heaved himself up, arriving bit too close to Kagami's face for his comfort.

"I'll beat you again today." Aomine promised when Kagami hastily let go and retreated a few steps. "I can taste the victory already."

"In your dreams." Kagami replied with a challenging smirk, trying hard not to notice the way Aomine's muscles rippled under his shirt as he stretched before they both completely threw themselves into the game.

.

_**...**_

_**Tōō AU**_

_**...**_

"We managed to score a couple nice lads then, eh? Coach Kawasara is quite please with your skills, Momoi-san." Imayoshi said.

Sure Wakamatsu was a bit loud, and Sakurai was a tad too much apologetic- but they were good, passionate players all the same.

The pink-haired girl blushed at the compliment, and had a rather self-satisfied grin on her face. "I know. He asked if iI could attend practice and join the basketball team as an analist."

Momoi was a force to be reckoned with. A lot of- okay, almost everyone in the team, drooled after her physique and cute looks... But Imayoshi realized what a monster she really was. And soon, he was sure that the rest of the team would learn it too.

"Good for you Satsuki." Said a bored-looking boy who was lounging beside her with his hands behind his back, a large yawn on his mouth. Imayoshi thought that Aomine Daiki looked uncannily like a primeval beast from one of those National Geographic series about the top predators of the animal kingdom. "Now can we please just go home and-"

Imayoshi about to shut close the gates to the storage room when a loud crash interruped them all. There at the entrance to the courts stood a boy. His hair and face were both vivid red and his broad chest heaved as he panted.

"Oh, hell no!" The boy gasped out between breaths, looking around the empty courts and the three remaining people inside. "Please don't tell me I missed the tryouts!"

Momoi and Aomine stared, Momoi with a startled look on her face and Aomine with a mildly amused one.

"Okay, I won't tell you." Imayoshi retorted, grinning sadistically and he watched the curious-looking boy through his rectangular frames. "Its 8:40, kid. You're too late."

The boy fell to his knees and cursed. In English. He didn't even have a Japanese accent when he spoke the foreign language.

From the corner of his eyes, Imayoshi saw Aomine heave his bag onto his shoulder and nudge Momoi towards the exit.

"You should have just arrived on time if you're so gutted about it?" Imayoshi told the red-head, whose personality reminded him eerily of Wakamatsu.

"Huh?" The boy looked up, biting his lip. "Oh, I just transferred schools. Today."

Imayoshi's brows rose. "Yeah? Any particular reason?"

To his surprise, a dark look crossed over the red-head's face. "You bet... I found out that someone I know is coming to Japan in a couple months. There's a high possibility that he might attend Seirin and I don't want to be anywhere ne-"

The red-head suddenly paused, bit his lip again, and looked up at Imayoshi who felt a jolt of surprise go through him at the pained look in the boy's eyes. But before he could ask anymore questions, Momoi turned around from the few steps separating her and the door and practically ran back towards the red-head with an excited squeal.

"Seirin?" She breathedµ. Momoi's eyes were glazed prettily, but the other boy stared at her like she was insane. "Really?"

"Yes." _Hmmm, that was an unpredictable reaction,_ Imayoshi mused. Usually, the boys Momoi talked to tended to blush heavily and stammer like idiots.

"I wanted to go there too! But I'm stuck with this basket-crazy basket-case so I had to come to Tōō ." Momoi jerked her head towards Aomine in explanation.

"Er... okay?" The red-head replied. Once again, this guy was just unpredictable. Imayoshi had seen boys seethe, act jealous or look put out whenever Momoi revealed her deep attachment to Aomine. But never seen casual nonchalance. Maybe the guy was a homo? No, if he was gay then he would've acted jealously towards Momoi. Maybe he was just asexual, or just too naïve and pure.

Momoi's mind seemed to be going over the same lines. Her eyes roamed over Kagami's body like she was a CAT scan machine and then suddenly there was a strange smile on her face.

Aomine rolled his eyes and angled his head to the side. "Oi, Satsu-"

"Oh, how rude of me! My name is Momoi Satsuki. What's yours?" She interrupted Aomine and addressed the red-head. It was a move that surprised Imayoshi as much as it did Aomine. Imayoshi sent her a qestioning look which she replied with a subtle grin.

"I'm Kagami Taiga." The red-head replied. In a strange move, he raised his hand out towards Momoi, as though he expected her to shake it. Momoi giggled at the gesture and took his hand, squeezing it.

"Kagami-kun." Momoi chuckled. "You're not from Japan, are you?"

"I am!" Kagami replied defensively, apparently immune to Momoi's charms. Or maybe he just completely lacked social skills. "I was just away- urgh, nevermind. Actually, I should just go now. Sorry to bother you guys and all that. I swear I'll be at the tryouts next year. So err...bye."

The boy called Kagami began to walk away, when Momoi suddenly made a quick gesture to Imayoshi, motioning him to throw her the basketball he had just been about to put away.

"Hey, Kagami-kun! Think fast!" Momoi threw the ball at Kagami who turned around to see it coming straight at him.

Unfortunately, the ball Momoi had thrown had a trajectory which was a bit too high. Aomine, who was standing behind Kagami closer to the gates, even raised a hand to receive the ball... but then froze.

Imayoshi too stood frozen in shock.

Because Kagami dropped his bag and jumped... so impossibly high that he was able to pluck the ball out of thin air with his right hand, before he seemed to float back down to the courts. The lights above him made his red hair glow in a halo of gold and crimson.

There was no sound on the courts for a while except for the din of silence.

Kagami tossed the ball back to Momoi with a perfect pass before rubbing his neck. "I didn't expect that! It was a nice pass though, er- thanks?" He said, before picking up his sportsbag.

"You have stellar instincts." Momoi muttered, her eyes wide as she stared at Kagami, who only managed to look utterly nonpulsed at the strange girl, and shook his head good-naturedly before making to turn away again.

"Oi." Came a deep voice suddenly and Imayoshi nearly jumped, almost having forgotten that Aomine was at the courts with them. Kagami turned back again at remaining person in the room whose face was currently hidden in the shadows and gave him a questioning look. "Come back again during practice tomorrow. You may not make the first line of players but there's a chance that the coach might let you in on the team."

Imayoshi wanted to argue that since he was Captain, he would be the one issuing the orders about such matters-

"_Oh my fucking god, really? You're serious?_" Kagami's eyes fluttered in excitement and he rambled in English. He didn't even seem to realize that he was speaking in a foreign language in his sudden flurry of excitement. He walked towards Aomine at the gates and bumped the boy's shoulder with his fist when he reach the gates, his smile toothy. "_Thanks man, I owe you one! All right! I won't forget this!_"

And just like that, Kagami's dejected face lit up like a Christmas tree on the 25th and he pulled out a large burger from his coat pocket, munching on it and humming a tune as he left the courts.

Imayoshi turned to Aomine with a distinctly displeased look. "Seriously?"

Aomine shrugged, but Imayoshi saw the slight curiosity floating at the edges of his usually dead irises, and Momoi must have seen it too because she suddenly whistled low.

"We better watch out, Imayoshi-san." She said thoughtfully, her eyes fixed on the gates through which Kagami's figure had just walked out of. "It seems that this Kagami Taiga is going to be one heck of a wild card."

.

**_..._**

**_Basketball training camp AU:_**

**_..._**

"_Japan Airlines flight JA3542 to Sapporo-Chitose is ready for boarding at Gate 7. Passengers are requested to have their boarding passes and identification ready for boarding."_

"You're late, Kagami-kun." Kuroko pointed out, without really having the need too. It was kind of obvious wasn't it? From the way they were chasing down Haneda airport towards baggage check-in?

"We're late because you decided to bring that _dog_ of yours to our last practice!"

"Tetsuya 2 is a puppy and he's going to miss you very much, Kagami-kun. He's very fond of you." Kuroko said, holding up the dog to Kagami's face. "And I don't see how he's the reason for your lateness."

"Arrghh!" Kagami nearly tripped over the trolley he was pushing as he tried to get away from the canine. "Remind me again why I'm the only one going to this training session in _Hokkaido_ of all the places?"

"Because Alex-san is busy." Kuroko replied immediately. "And because this summer camp has a reputation for creating professional basketball power forwards."

They unloaded Kagami's large luggage as the woman at the counter gave them both stern looks. Kuroko helped... but only by promising to keep Tetsuya 2 as far away from Kagami as possible.

"Lady, I know we're late-"

"The security check-in gate is going to close any minute." The woman sniffed with a severe expression as she handed him his boarding pass.

"What?!" Kagami took his sidebag and rushed over to the other side of the airport. He arrived just in time for the last entry.

Kagami turned around to say goodbye to Kuroko who was busy looking around the airport.

"Yes, thanks a lot for paying your _utmost_ attention to your best friend before he leaves for a month. Kagami said, his voiced heavy with sarcasm. "What're you checking out the airport for?"

Kuroko smiled softly. "I _will_ miss you Kagami-kun. But I was just hoping to see... Momoi-san did say that that he'd be here too..."

"What was that Kuroko?" Kagami asked, fumbling with his passport, boarding pass, and ticket.

"Nothing." Kuroko said, flipping open his cellphone as it buzzed. "Ah. I have to go. Momoi-san is waiting for me outside the airport. Have a nice trip Kagami-kun, and don't kill each other."

"Huh? Why's Momoi here? And kill who?" But Kagami was asking questions to thin air, because Kuroko had long since disappeared into the crowd.

So Kagami sighed and turned back to the burly man doing security checks. The man was eyeing Kagami's Air Jordans suspiciously.

"You have on the fifth pair I'm seeing in the past hour." He said. "...I'll have to ask you to take them off sir."

Because why not? Since he was already running late, why wouldn't life just throw in another curve ball and make stuff even harder for him?

.

The flight was totally crowded, as though just to annoy Kagami more, and he wondered if he would even find an empty space to stick his bag into.

"Seat 47 C... C..." Kagami murmured to himself, half panting because he'd run all the way to the boarding gate and then up the plane.

There was a sudden stratching at his ankle and a quiet squeak. Kagami, who had quite enough of a certain species that very morning, knew exactly _what_ was pawing at his legs.

He turned around and looked down with horror on his features. Sure enough, it was a puppy, all black, staring up at him with it's beady eyes. Kagami froze, willing himself not to scream like a girl and cause mass panic before the plane had even taken off.

Its owner was an old woman, who tried to pick it up, but the Schipperke had somehow grown attached to Kagami's sneakers... Probably because he could smell Tetsuya 2 on them since that darn dog had rolled all over his shoes that morning.

_Hurry up!_ Kagami wanted to shout at the puppy's owner and wail fearfully at the same time.

Then, the... _thing_ looked up at Kagami again with a wag of it tail and issued a quiet bark.

That did it.

Kagami wrenched his foot away from its curious, _vicious_ claws and clattered down the aisle, ignoring the odd looks he received from the other passengers, stewards and the hostesses. He should have looked forward to see where his panic-stricken feet were taking him, because not a moment later he felt his face slamming painfully into someone's collarbone.

Not far, Kagami heard the puppy barking again and shivered shamelessly against the warmth of the body he'd just slammed into. He would have to apologize for this later... Surely the person would understand that a phobia was a very serious matter-

The moment Kagami looked up, he knew that someone up there was cruel and enjoyed pulling at the strings of his life. Because who else would be there, staring down at him with wide blue eyes other than Aomine fucking Daiki.

"Kagami?" He said, looking at the red-head the way one would behold someone who had just escaped from a mental ward. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to find my seat." Kagami said through gritted teeth as the puppy wuffed again from the distance.

Aomine's striking blue eyes followed Kagami's flinch and then the source of the noise to somewhere behind him, then snorted. "I see... Well, don't let me keep you."

Aomine slid into the seat beside the window, leaving the aisle free for Kagami to continue onwards. Kagami tried to ignore the grating sounds still issuing from the front of the plane and looked up at the seat numbers. Oh holy mother of-

Without a single word, he plopped down on the empty seat beside Aomine, who looked up at him incredulously. "Seriously, I'm stuck next to you for the next hour and half?"

"If you want to complain then call a hostess."

Aomine looked like he was actually considering doing that, then he shook his head lazily. "Nah, the plane's too full. They won't have any emply seats left."

"Then too bad." Kagami said, fastening his seatbelt noisily and grabbing hold of his armrests uneasily.

Aomine gave him another disdainful look before putting his headphones on. "Puke on me and I'll kill you." He said, closing his eyes and leaning back on his seat.

"I won't if the old lady has a firm grasp on that devilish creature. I'm not air-sick or anything." Kagami mumbled, but he was sure that Aomine hadn't heard him.

Aomine found Kagami locked in the same pose when he woke up 20 minutes later. The tanned boy sipped at the coca cola a hostess had left for him, and glanced dubiously at Kagami. His eyes roved from Kagami's pale complexion and worried eyebrows, to his clenched fists.

"Okay, that's it. Are you high?" He finally asked.

Kagami, however, couldn't care less what Aomine was spouting. He had just spotted a tiny figure ambling down the aisle. "Shit! Can't someone chain it down?"

Aomine took off his headphones curiously. "Chain what down?"

"T-That!" Kagami whimpered.

His eyes met with the puppy's and it obviously recognized him because a moment later it bounded over and was sprawled all over his shoe, squeaking contentedly.

Kagami suddenly had the mad urge to tuck his head into Aomine's shoulder. It would be better than letting him see his tears... or possibly pissing himself in front of a plane full of strangers.

Aomine craned his neck over Kagami's lap and then looked back up at his disturbed face. "You're scared of dogs?" He deduced.

"No shit, Sherlock!" Kagami flushed when his voice came out in a pathetic squeak. "Why do you think I've been on the edge all this time?"

The puppy seemed to like Kagami's voice too because it looked up quite excitedly and started to do little jumps to get onto his lap.

Maybe Kagami should just swallow his pride and grab Aomine's hand... or at least grasp his T-shirt. He could only imagine the consequences.

The puppy barked again and the couple sitting across from them looked over and cooed at it's apparent cuteness. Kagami wanted to recommend them to an oculist... His heart was pounding in fear of this hideous beast and they dared to think of it as cute?

The puppy's paws were now raking all over Kagami's shoes as it played around with the laces.

Actually, fuck consequences! Kagami let his hand jerk up and grab Aomine's sleeve. He could deal with explaining everthing to Aomine later if he didn't suffer a heart attack right now!

Aomine looked down at the shaking hand on his jacket and was obviously repressing a smile. "How come you hang around Tetsu's dog if you're so scared then?"

"I don't actually." Kagami whimpered, nearly yelping when he felt a small paw run down the side of his jeans. "Hang out with Kuroko's dog, that is."

Aomine sighed and ran a hand through his hair, before he leaned over Kagami's lap to grab the puppy. It diligently escaped his hand, so Aomine leaned in furthur into Kagami in order to catch it.

Now, two things happened when Aomine did that.

Firstly, the good thing: Kagami's mind was taken off the puppy, so he could breathe for a bit.

Secondly however: That respite didn't last long since Aomine's hair brushed Kagami's cheek, and his heart began stuttering for another reason, a reason Kagami didn't want to explore in the slightest...

...Because it was Aomine's proximity.

Why? Why did it always affect him like that?

Was it the cologne he was wearing? Yeah, that had to be it.

Or maybe it was the way the sunlight from outside the airplane window caught all the planes and angles of Aomine's face, making them stand out in perfect clarity... His jaws, his cheekbones, his lips... It made him look like one of Kise's modeling photos.

Dammit, Aomine always managed to look so cool. Kagami really envied that about him...

"...ah, it ran away."

"Huh?"

Aomine straighted up to look at Kagami, then backed off quickly when he realized how close together their faces were. "The pup. It's gone."

Kagami realeased a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding in, and saw Aomine shaking his head.

"You can let go now."

"Ah. Yeah, Sorry." Kagami let his fist unclench from Aomine's shoulder. "Er... thanks, I guess."

"Don't mention it." Aomine replied, snarkily. "Ever."

Aomine flexed his hand and stretched the fingers of the arm Kagami had been grasping onto, wincing as he did so. Kagami guessed that he may have been squeezing a _bit_ hard.

"Trust me I won't." Kagami said, thinking that maybe Aomine wasn't a bad person after all. "I value my what little's left of my pride."

Aomine looked up at that, and let a small grin grace his lips. "So I guess you going to the training camp in Hokkaido too?"

"Yeah, our coach- hang on! You're going there too?"

"No, I'm going back to my hometown to visit the grave of an ex-lover who recently comitted suicide." Aomine deadpanned.

"Oh no... Really?" Kagami felt utterly devastated for the boy. "Jeez, man I'm sor-"

"It was a joke, idiot." Aomine snorted. "You really are slow, aren't you? Of course I'm going to summer camp too. Hey, maybe there I'll finally get to beat your ass and show you what real basketball's like."

Kagami practically fumed and took back every single thing he had just thought.

Aomine Daiki was an all round jerk!

.

* * *

**AN/:**** I ADORE these two knuckle-heads! I'll keep adding more stories to this as I get inspired! **

**Feel free to suggest possible AUs I can incorporate these to into! Hehe! XD**

**Also, if anyone wants to turn any of these drabbles into a full length stories: please tell me, I wanna read! (Or if any of these AUs are stories already, then tell me about those too!)**

**(****PS.**** Point out mistakes if you spot any. I'm pretty sure I made a few which I didn't correct.)**

**Let me just say that you READERS are amazing. =(^~^)=**


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